Organic Consumers Association

Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is a public interest organization in the United States representing the interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. The OCA deals with food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, and environmental sustainability. "The OCA represents over 850,000 members, subscribers and volunteers, including several thousand businesses in the natural foods and organic marketplace."

Organic Consumers Association is a member of the Business Ethics Network and profiled in the WiserEarth database at:

In 2010,"Organic Consumers Association (OCA) launches Fair World Project, the first fair trade consumer organization, to promote and protect the integrity of the fair trade movement."

OCA and Chez Sludge
The OCA was the lead organization in 2009 and early 2010 in confronting and exposing the collusion between the SFPUC and Alice Waters and Francesca Vietor work with the Chez Panisse Foundation.

The Food Rights Network released a major investigative report on July 9, 2010 titled: Chez Sludge: How the Sewage Sludge Industry Bedded Alice Waters. It examines the conflicts of interest and collusion between the Chez Panisse Foundation and the SFPUC based on an extensive open records investigation of the SFPUC internal files. (To view the internal documents see: SFPUC Sludge Controversy Timeline.)

Background
The Organic Consumers Association started in 1998 in reaction to the backlash by organic consumers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed loosening of the national regulations for organic food. OCA was working to safeguard the organic standards. They wanted to pressure the USDA and corporations to preserve strict standards.

Corporate campaigns
OCA is currently targeting (among others): Wal-Mart, Monsanto, ADM, Cargill, Hershey & Mars, Starbucks; Horizon Organic and Aurora Organic (boycott of factory farmed milk labeled as organic); and body care companies including Avalon, Jason's, Nature's Gate, and Aveda for falsely labeling their products as organic.

Additional campaigns/goals are:
 * The conversion of American agriculture to at least 30% organic by the year 2015.
 * To have Fair Trade, not so-called "Free Trade" as the global norm.
 * A global moratorium on genetically engineered food.
 * A phase-out of the most dangerous factory farming practices.
 * Universal health care with an emphasis on prevention and nutrition
 * Energy independence/renewable energy.

Buying guide
The Organic Consumers Association has an online buying guide that helps people find green products and services near by, depending on zip code. They also link to other buying guides, for example for Fair Trade food or for non-corporate, local independent businesses.

Personnel and Advisers
Accessed November 2010, includes:
 * Ronnie Cummins, National Director
 * Will Allen, Vermont Organic Farmer
 * Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians (Canada)
 * Jay Feldman, National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (DC)
 * Mika Iba, Network for Safe & Secure Food & Environment (Japan)

Contact details
6771 South Silver Hill Drive Finland, MN 55603 Phone: 218-226-4164 Fax: 218-353-7652 Web: http://www.organicconsumers.org

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Food Rights Network
 * Green America
 * National Organic Program Regulations
 * processed food industry
 * sewage sludge
 * SFPUC
 * USDA ORGANIC

External articles

 * "Greenpeace and the Organic Consumers Association Speak Out at Safeway's Shareholder Meeting", Greenpeace USA, May 16, 2002.

External resources

 * Organic Consumers Association's Ronnie Cummings discusses corporate greed and organic milk, NaturalNews.com, November 28, 2006.
 * Alexis Baden-Mayer of the Organic Consumers Association at Art for the Climate, Video on YouTube, December 4, 2009.